Collapsible cellular container partition



April 1951 w. c. GEORGE ET AL 2 COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITION Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1.

INVEN TORS.

THEIR ATTORN (s.

April 24, 1951 w. c. GEORGE ET AL COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1948 TORNESi INVENTORSI m: aw. mbwv THEIR AT April 1951 w. c. GEORGE ET AL COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 4, 1948 INVENTORS: n? d FIG. IO.

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-THEIR ATTORNE S.

April 24, 1951 w. c. GEORGE ETAL COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTA INER PARTITION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 4, 1948 2am (I Mm lNVENTO RSt 443 gmwmykw, THEIR ATTORN S.

Patented Apr. 24, 1951 "UNITED STATES COLLAPSIELE @ELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITION Walter (3. George, St. Louis, and Arthur P. Klasing, Webster Groves, Mm, assignors to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maryland Application February 4, 1948, Serial No. 6,266

3 Glaims.

This invention relates to collapsible strip type cellular container partitions. One object of the present invention is to provide a strong and durable. partition of the above type which may be made and shipped in collapsed flat compact form and readily set up for use. Other objects are toprovide for permanently securing the partitio'n parts together in a novel manner, to provide'for horizontal ventilation through the cells of the partition and to prevent movement of the partition parts beyond their cell-forming positiens when'the partition is opened or set up.

"A-iiother important object of the invention is to provide a partition and compartment forming device which-comprises interconnected partition or' plate-l-ike' members, preferably of equal height, in fiatw is'e contacting relationship in the collapsed former said-partition, each of said members being severed from the top portion to the bottom portion thereof by a tortuous slit which results in the formation of a plurality or -projection's, the transverse medial lines of said projections being-in register and at right angles to thelower edges of saidmembers, said slit of one member being in reverse phase with respect to-the second member, and each member has portions of the projections on each side of the transverse' line and the portions of the projections are secured to the opposite overlapping member which enables the said members t'o'be relatively moved from a collapsed condition to'an erected condition or position-wherein the said members meat-right angles with respect to each other.

A still furtherobject-of the invention is to provide partitioniorming members with overlapping tongues permanently secured together that result in the formation of'an enclosed openingoropenihgs within the walls of which the tongues of said members are pivotally positioned at-"oppcsites qints in the Walls of the openings and edges of'the" tongues to rotate about an axis perpendiculartothe lowenedges of said members whereby said partition inay-beeithercollapsedjorerecte'd by moving the "partitions on the saidf'pivotal connection and when in collapsed cor'idition the tongues fill the said opening or openings; as case may be.

Ahdth'robfict of" the invention is to provide afpai'titioh andcompartment forming device which consists of similarly formed partitions each including at least two permanently secured togetlirf'strips in partially overlapping relationship nd eac'hof said strips having a tongue or projection-and an enlarged opening which codpela-te=to "permanently interconnect the said 'tions-and' constitute a pivotal means whereby' he'inte'r'connectedpartitions may be either collapsed-cremated and, when in collapsed conditiiih, thetongiies aie'disposed in the said openinseam-thus allow' the partitions to flatwise contactingly engage each other. The invention consists in the collapsible cellular container partitionhereinaf-ter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like. parts wherever they occur.

Fig. 1 i aplan view of the eight web sections from which a twenty-four cell partition embodying our invention is made, the web sections being shown in the laterally offset pesition and in the top to bottom order which they occupy in the finished partition,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus used in carrying out the continuous process of manufacturing the partition,

FigJEis'a fragmentary plan view, showing the eight slitted and superimposed webs from which the partitions are formed,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the pair of horizontal rolls for longitudinally slitting one of the advancing webs, the web being shown in vertical cross-section,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the webs and the roll for applying the spotted longi-' tudinal lines of glue thereto,

Fig. 6 isa plan view looking at oneside face of the collapsed partition,

Fig-7- is an edge view of th'e'partition,

Figs 8' is a plan view lookinglat the opposite side of the partition,

Fig. 9 is a side elevationalview'of the'set up or erected partition,

Fig. '10 is an end elevational view thereof,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line |ill in Fig. 9,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line l2l2 in Fig. 10,

Fig. 13 is a perspective View 'of the set-up partition,

Fig. 14=is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 15' is a perspective View of a set-up four cell partition.

The collapsible twenty-four cell container partition she-wn in the drawings is preferably made from eight webs of fiberboard, corrugated-board or other suitable material; namely, two counter part webs A and A-i, two counterpart webs l3 and Bi, two counterpart webs C and C arid two counterpart webs Band D[ that are drawn ircm rotatably supported spaced parallel herizontal supply rolls il, [2, l3, l4, l5, l6, i1 and lil, respectively. After leaving their supply rolls, the webs pass through suitable tensioning rolls l9 and thence through an apparatus which slits said webs lengthwise into strips, spots said strips with a suitableadhesive and superimposes' them one on another to form a laminated ribbon which is' then cut transversely to form complete flat par titions.

The webs increase in width fromthe web 'A asaaeoa to the web D and from the web A-| to the web D-l. The web A is located at the top and the web A--l is located at the bottom. The web B is located next to the web A and the web 13-! is located next to the web A-i. The web C is located next to the web B and the web C--l is located next to the web 3-1. The webs D and D-l are located next to one another between the webs C and C-i. The webs A and A! are substantially square and are offset laterally relative to one another for a distance corresponding to their width. The webs B and B-l, extend equal distances on opposite sides of the webs A and l-l, respectively; and the webs C and C-! extend a corresponding distance on opposite sides of the webs B B-i, respectively. The webs D and D-l are of the same width but are oiiset laterally so that each of said webs extends beyond the other on one side and terminates short of the other on the other side and the webs D and D-l are flush with the webs C and C-i, respectively, on one side and extend beyond them on the opposite side.

The apparatus for longitudinally slitting and combiningthe eight superimposed webs in the laterally offset relation above described comprises eight horizontally spaced pairs of horizontal combining or pressure rolls 25, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 2? and 28, between which the webs are drawn from their supply rolls, eight pairs of horizontally disposed rolls 35, 32, 33, 3Q, 35, 35, 3? and 38 for longitudinally slitting the respective webs into separate strips prior to their passage through the combining rolls, and seven horizontal rolls 52, 43, d4, 45, 46, All and 58 for applying spotted longitudinal lines of glue or other suitable adhesive to the upper surfaces of all of the webs, except to the top web A, after they leave their cutting or slitting rolls and before they reach the combining rolls. Each of the glue spotting rolls is supplied with glue through transfer rolls 39 one of which dips into a glue fountain or reservoir 59 and the other of which applies the glue to the spotting roll. Each of the glue spotting devices includes a pressure roll for holding the web in contact with the spotting roll.

The top web A is drawn from its supply roll I through its cutting rolls 3% and thence through the pairs of combining rolls 2% to 23, inclusive. The web B is drawn from its supply roll 5.2 through its pair of cutting rolls 32 and glue spotting rolls Q2 and thence through the combining rolls 22 to 28, inclusive, and spot-glued to the un derside of the web A. The web C is drawn from its supply roll l3 though the cutting rolls 33 and the glue spotting roll 33 and thence through the combining rolls 23 to 23, inclusive, and spot-glued to the underside of the web B. The web D is drawn from its supply roll 54 through the cutting rolls 34, glue spotting roll as and thence through the combining rolls 24 to 28, inclusive, and spotglued to the underside of the web C. The web D-l is drawn from its supply roll 55 through the cutting rolls 35, glue spotting roll & and thence through the combining rolls 25 to 28, inclusive, where it is spot-glued to the underside of the web D. The web C-l is drawn from its supply roll it through the cutting rolls 33, glue spotting roll and thence through the combining rolls 26, 27 and 28 where it is spot'glued to the underside of the web D-i. The web 13-! is drawn from its supply roll ll through the cutting rolls 3? and glue spotting roll t! and thence through the combining rolls 2? and 28 where it is spotglued to the underside of the web C'i. The web A-l is drawn from its supply roll 18 through the cutting rolls 3% and the glue spotting roll 48 and thence through the pair of combining rolls 28 where it is adhesively secured to the underside of the web B--l. The eight combined webs are thence drawn as a laminated cardboard ribbon R through a series of pairs of horizontally disposed combining rolls 49 and thence through a pair of horizontally disposed cutting rolls 5B which sever the advancing ribbon crosswise into finished fiat partition units which are deposited on a suitable conveyor 5! for transfer to a bundling or package station (not shown).

The cutting rolls 3! to 38, inclusive, are equipped with continuous circumferential cutters 52 that are shaped to form one or more continuous longitudinal zigzag cuts 53 in the respective webs, thereby dividing all of said webs longitudinally into two counterpart side strips and each of the webs B, Bl, C, C-!, D and D-! into two or more counterpart intermediate strips, depending upon the width of said webs. As shown in the drawings, the webs A and A-l have single middle longitudinal zigzag cuts 53 therein which divide the web A into two side strips i-A with serrate or saw-tooth inner edges and the web Al into two side strips IA' with correspond ing serrate or saw-tooth inner edges. The webs l3 and B! have three equally spaced longitudinal zigzag cuts which divide the web B into two side strips l-B and two zigzag intermediate strips 2B and the web Bi into two side strips !-B and two zigzag intermediate strips 2-3. The webs C and C-i have five zigzag cuts 53 which divide the web C into side strips i-C and four intermediate zigzag strips 2--C and the web C--l into side strips lC' and four intermediate zigzag strips 2-0. The webs D and D-! have six zigzag cuts 53 which divide the web D into side strips l-D and five zigzag intermediate strips 2-D and the web Di into side strips iD and five intermediate zigzag strips 2-D'. As stated above, all of the webs have identical side strips and the zigzag intermediate strips of the webs B, Bl, C, Ci, D and Di are all alike but vary in number depending upon the width of the strips and the number of zigzag cuts therein.

As shown in Fig. 3, corresponding zigzag cuts 53 of the eight webs are disposed one over another but each zigzag cut of each web is offset longitudinally with respect to the corresponding cut in the web or webs in contact therewith. By this arrangement, the saw-tooth margin on each side of each cut of each intermediate web is brought into overlapping relation to the sawtooth margin on the opposite side of the corresponding cut in the web or webs in contact with the first mentioned web.

As shown in the drawings, the glue rolls 42 to 48, inclusive, are each provided with one or more continuous series of raised circumferentially spaced surfaces 54 that spot or print the glue in longitudinal lines 55 on the upper surfaces only of all of the advancing webs, except the web A, along certain of the longitudinal zigzag cuts 53 therein. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the glue lines 55 are preferably applied along the single zigzag cut 53 of the bottom web A, but not to the top web A, and along alternate zigzag cuts 53 of each of the remaining intermediate webs; and the glue lines of each intermediate web are arranged in alternate relation to the glue lines of the web or webs in contact therewith. Thus, the saw-tooth margin on each side of each alternate zigzag cut of each intermediate'web is adhesively" secured to the *overlapping saw-tooth margin on the opp'osite side of the corresponding cut in the web in contact with one face of the first mentioned web and is free of the-web-in contact with the other face thereof, while the saw-tooth margins .produced byethe remaining cuts of said first'mention'ed web a'resimilarly secured to the saw-tooth-margins produced'by the corresponding cuts in the web in contact with said other side of said first mentioned web.

After the several webs have been slit into separate strips and these strips combined into the composite ribbon R, the advancing ribbonds severed crosswise at regular intervals to form the complete flat partition units; Each of these units is preferably cut so that the saw-tooth edge or edges of each of the side and intermediate strips includes a complete or full V-shaped tongue or tab 56 at one endthereof and a half V-shaped tongue or tab 51 at the other end thereof with a complete or full V-shaped notch or reenter-ing angle 58 between said full and half-V tongues. The full- V tongues along-one of the meeting edges of adjacent stripsof each web fitin the notches in the other of said meeting edges; and the full and half-V tongues'on each meeting edge of adjacent strips of each intermediate web are disposed in overlapped relation to "the corresponding tongues onthe-oppa site of the corresponding meeting edges of the two adjacent strips in the web or webs in contact with said first mentioned web. The tongues of eachintermediate web are glued to the overlapping tongue of an adjacent web or webs in alternate relation crosswise of the web or webs in contact therewith. 7

Each of the above described collapsed partition units is adapted to be opened or set up to form a twenty-four cell partition by simultaneously pulling in opposite directions on the left hand side strip of the top'web A and the right hand strip of the bottom web A--I until the connected "strips'are brought into cell-forming relation. In the set-up position of the collapsible partition; the connected strips form three spaced parallel longitudinal partition'members' and five spaced parallel transverse partition members. The side strips o'f'oneof the longitudinal strips IA' and lC' form the end sections'of one of the outermost longitudinal 'parti'tionmembers and the intermediate zigzag strips 2B, 2C, 2-D and 2D form the intermediate sections of said partition member. The other'outermost longitudinal partition is made up of the'side strips l--C'an'd l-"A and the intermediatezigzag strips 2D, 2-D, 2-0 and 2-B'. The intermediate longitudinal partition member is made up'of the side strips I- B and l-B" and the four zigzag intermediate strips 2C, '2D, 2-D and 2-0. The outermost longitudinal partition located nearest the corresponding ends I -A, l-B and IC of the longitudinal partition member is made'up of the sidestrips IA and l Dand the two intermediate zigzag strips 2B and 2C. The other outermosttransversel'partition member is made up of the side strips I-D and IA, the two zigzag intermediate strips 2C'*and 2--B'. The middle transverse partition member is madeupof the side strips l-C and -l-'-'C' and the two zigzag inter-mediate'strips 2--D and 2-D. The transverse partition member between the first mentioned outermosttransverse partition member and theiniddle transverse partition member is made-u of the" two sidese'etions IB and l--D"and--the two' -ifiter- 6: mediate zigzag strips 2'C and 2-43; and the remaining transverse partition member is made up of the two side strips l-D and l-B and the two zigzag intermediate strips 2-D"'a'rid 2-C'.

Thus, each of the longitudinal partition members is made up of-twoside strips and four intermediate zigzag strips; and each cf the transverse partitions is made up of two side strips and two int'errnediate zigzag-strips. The full v-shapec tonguestfi of adjacent'strips of each partition member are overlapped flatwi'se and adhesively secured together and the half-V tongues El of said adjacent strips are similarly overlapped and secured together. When the connected strips'are moved into partition for-mingrelation, the tongues :of each strip of eachweb vacate or swing'out of the notches of anadjacent strip of said web, thereby producing substantially diamond-shaped horizontal openings 59 through each? partition member between the overlapped full and half-V tongues'tit and-*5? of adjacent strips thereof and V-shaped notches'mi in the top and bottom edges of said partition member between the converging outer edgesof the overlapped full-V tongues of said adjacent sectionsof saidtpartition member. The overlapping full-V tongues 58 of each two adjacent s ips of 'each partition member extendthrough the diamond-shapedopenings 59 formed by the opposingV-not'ohes 6E3 of the adjacent strips of the partition member that is disposed at right angles to said first mentioned partition member; and the overlapped half-V tongues 51 of adjacent sections of-said first mentioned partition member extend through the V-shaped notches 68 formed by the inclined outer edges of the full-V tongues of said first mentioned partition mem her. When the partition is opened or set up with the longitudinal and transverse partitionsat right angles to one another, the overlapped full-v and -half-vtongues of adjacent stripsof each partition member bind againstthe sides of the quadrilateral diamond-shaped openings and 'v shaped notches through which they extend and thus resist movement of the partition members beyonda position at right angles to one another. Tl e V-shaped notches and diamond-shaped openings in the partition members also provide for horizontal ventilation through the erected or set-up partition.

--Th ehereinbefore described collapsible cellular partition has several important advantages. It is simple and inexpensive and may be shipped and stored in completely assembledcollapsed compact form and may be readily erected merely-by pulling endwise in opposite directions on the top and bottom webs or merely by lifting or raising with one hand one strip the top web so -that the strips fall automatically into cell-forming relation. The overlapped full-v and half-V tongues of each partition member extend through the diamond-shaped openings a-nd B- shaped notches of I the partition members-dis-- posed at right angles thereto; and the shape of p i-" tion. -None of the elements that; In'al ie' -u'p the partition is scored or bent to permit unfolding or collapse of the partition. The partition is made up of a relatively large number of separate strips, but these strips are quickly cut, united and severed into individual partitions by 2. continuous process which is simple and economical and overcomes any objection to the number of separate strips employed in the finished partition.

While we have shown and described a twentyfour cell partition, the partition may be made with difierent numbers of cells. For instance, Fig. 15 illustrates a simple four cell partition made from two webs likes the top and bottom webs A and A-I of the twenty-four bottle partition. In this smaller partition, the two webs are each provided with a single longitudinal zigzag out 53, the cuts are longitudinally onset to bring the tongues of one web into overlapped relation to the tongues of the other web and the overlapped tongues are secured together and the two webs combined into a two ply ribbon which is severed transversely to form the collapsed partition. When opened, this partition comprises two right angularly disposed partition or platelike members, each comprising one of the strips of the web A and one of the strips of the web Al.

From the foregoing it is clear that we have provided a collapsible partition and compartment forming device that includes a novel interconnection of the partition forming members and which includes the tortuous slit or cut 53, which in effecting such slit forms the projections or tongues 56 and consequently the partial openings or opening between any two tongues or half tongues and that there is the transverse medial line which extends at right angles to the lower edge of the partition members and this transverse medial line traverses the projections substantially intermediate the length thereof and that in collapsed condition the partition or plate-like members are positioned in face contacting relation with the said transverse lines in registry and the slit or cut 53 on one of these members is reversely positioned with respect to the other member and that each member has portions projecting on each side of the said transverse line and the projections or tongues that are on each side of the transverse line are secured to the opposite overlapping member.

Obviously, the hereinbefore described partition admits of considerable modification Without departing from the invention. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown and described. Reference is hereby made to our copending application Serial No. 41,637 filed July 30, 1948, now Patent No. 2,494,437, covering the process described but not claimed herein.

What we claim is:

1. A collapsed right angular partition forming device comprising at least two plate-like members of equal height arranged in face contacting relation, each member being severed from the top portion to the bottom portion thereof by a like tortuous slit forming a plurality of projections, the transverse medial line of which extends at right angles to the lower edge of the members traversing said projections substantially intermediate the length thereof, said mem bers being positioned in face contacting relation with said transverse lines in registry and the slit of one member reversely positioned with respect to the other, each member having portions of the projections on each side of said transverse line, said portions of the projections only being.

secured to the opposite overlappin member, whereby said collapsed members may be positioned at right angles to each other in operative position.

2. A collapsed right angular partition forming device comprising at least two rigid platelike members of equal height arranged in face contacting relation, each member being completely severed from top to bottom by a like tortuous slit forming at least three projections, the transverse medial line of which extends at right angles to the lower edge of the member and traversing said projections substantially intermediate the length thereof, said members being positioned in face contacting relation with said transverse lines in registry andxthe slit of one member reversely positioned with respect to the other, each member having portions projecting on each side of said transverse line, said portions only being secured to the opposite overlapping member, whereby said collapsed members may be positioned at right angles to each other in operative position.

3. A collapsible partition and compartment forming device comprising permanently interconnected spaced transverse and longitudinal partitions, one of the partitions consisting of at least two parts and each having opposite end portions in the form of at least two tongues and at least one partial opening formed by said tongues, said parts being positioned in opposed relation with said tongues being in overlapped permanently secured together relationship and thus providin an enclosed opening, the transverse vertical medial line of which opening extends to the lower edge of the partition, the other partition consisting of at least two like parts and each at its end portion being in the form of a tongue and which tongues are permanently secured together in overlapping face contacting opposed relationship and disposed at a right angle to the first named partition within the enclosed opening and the transverse medial line traversing each tongue intermediate its length, being in registry with each other and in alignment with the said transverse medial line of the opening in all relative positions of the partitions, and the tongues and opening being shaped and dimensioned so that when in collapsed form the tongue of one partition will be disposed in a part of the opening in one partition and the tongue of the other partition will be disposed in the other part of the opening in the other partition and substantially filling the openin and thus allowing the device to be collapsed with the partitions thereof in -flatwise contact with each other and in substantially horizontal alignment.

WALTER C. GEORGE. ARTHUR P. KLASING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

